


His Perfect Knight

by Fair_Feather_Friend



Category: Arthurian Mythology
Genre: Camelot, Identity Issues, Jousting, Knights - Freeform, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mystery knights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:54:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22708804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fair_Feather_Friend/pseuds/Fair_Feather_Friend
Summary: At the start of King Arthur's reign, a celebratory tourney is thrown, and the new King is desperate to compete.
Relationships: Lancelot du Lac/Arthur Pendragon
Comments: 8
Kudos: 29
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	His Perfect Knight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [havisham](https://archiveofourown.org/users/havisham/gifts).



King Arthur had his suspicions when he was awakened not by his squire, but by his foster-brother. 

"Where's Gawain?" Arthur asked.

"Sick. If you believe that." Kay clearly didn't. "It's not like you're going to need him today anyway."

"I was planning to compete." Hoped was more like it. He'd hoped to compete in this grand celebratory tourney that gave all Knights and men with blades a chance to test their mettle against each other.

"Well, you know I'll give you the trouncing you deserve, but the rest of them are going to be too chickenshit of hurting the new King to compete against you. Anything you enter you'll win by default."

"I know." Arthur sighed. 

"Go find your squire. He may be an idiot but he's not chickenshit."

Arthur went straight for the stables, where he found his wayward squire and a suit of plain armour he'd squirrelled away. 

"Shouldn't you be abed if you're sick?" 

Gawain didn't even bother lying. "We shouldn't both have to sit and watch."

"So you were planning to compete in the tourney? Without informing me?"

"Yes. But you're not going to compete, so you won't need me and it's not like anyone's going to know it's me anyway."

"You swore an oath to serve me."

"I will. I am."

You're a child. But Arthur had hated it when they'd said that to him.

Your mother will kill me and your father will start a war if anything happens to you. 

"I need to prove myself worthy to be your squire." Gawain continued.

Arthur sighed. "You can do that, but not by sneaking around behind my back. I need someone who's loyal and who I can trust. Someone I can rely upon. There's more to being a Knight than being able to handle a sword, use a lance, and ride a horse."

Gawain thought it over and then nodded. "I won't do it again." It was as close to an apology as the young Prince tended to get. 

Arthur eyed the armour. In it he'd be just another nameless knight. He could test his skills against the others. 

"But, this is an excellent idea. I was planning to compete today." Arthur said.

"What happened to there's more to being a Knight that handling swords?"

Arthur grinned. "There's also more to being a King than sitting down watching while everyone else tests their skills. You, don't need to prove yourself on the tourneyfield, I know you've been riding as long as you've walked and started with a sword as soon as you were able to hold one. You can instead prove yourself as my squire and help me get ready for the jousting without letting slip to anyone what I'm doing."

\- 

The Black Knight caused a stir at the tourney. He rode in on a dark brown mare, a steady creature who'd had her white patches stained darker. His armour, likewise, was old and well used, deliberately blackened by soot. He wore no coat of arms to identify him and offered no name. But quickly went to being odds on favourite with the betting as he unseated Knight after Knight in the joust. Rumours filled the stands of who he might be, some wicked prince from a far away land, or perhaps a long lost hero, or even one of the fair folk come to test his skills. 

On any other day the Blue Knight may have also caused a stir, he did well, although his victorys were by no means as decisive as the Black Knight's. 

The two mystery knights met in a crash of lances on shields. Both stayed seated. They wheeled around for new lances and another charge. Hooves thundered. Lances clashed and the Blue Knight went flying off his horse, landing hard on the ground. 

Another victory for the Black Knight. 

The Black Knight found the Blue after they'd both left the field. "Well fought." There was a grin in the voice. "You almost had me there."

"I've never seen a warrior like you," The Blue Knight replied, awe obvious in his young voice. "Well... not that I've seen seen you..."

The Black Knight removed his helmet and it would be churlish not to follow suit and so Arthur pulled off his own helmet as well. His stomach flipped and suddenly he was hot, everywhere, almost burning with the blush that spread through his cheeks with... the Black Knight was every bit the perfect knight. Olive skinned, and raven haired, muscular, and oh so much younger than expected. He was almost Arthur's age and yet he fought so well.

He needed this mystery knight. For Camelot. He needed this mystery knight for Camelot and the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears drowned out whatever words the Black Knight said, only that they were not 'your highness' and there was no flash of recognition across the Black Knight's perfect face.

Arthur's tongue tied itself in knots and it seemed as if the other knight's must have too for they stood in awkward silence, and Arthur wanted nothing more than to bridge that gap between them. 

Arthur wanted as he'd never wanted anyone or anything before. But there were walls of armour between them and anyone might interrupt and there was hardly any time at all. "I'll see you after you win?" Arthur said, as much a dream as a question.

The Black Knight nodded. "I'll come find you."

-

Arthur sat in the Royal box and watched the rest of the tourney, trying not to show any of the favouritism he felt. He feared the look of betrayal upon the Black Knight's handsome face when he realised who was wearing the crown. But if it came it was well hidden. 

Arthur had half-expected the Black Knight to disappear off into the crowds, but when it came time to present the tourney prizes he was still there. He'd removed his helmet but not his armour and neither Kay nor Gawain knew who the Black Knight was.

"You fought well today, Sir Knight." Arthur said at his most regal. 

"Thank you for saying so, your majesty." Unbidden the young man knelt before Arthur, head dipped down in deference. "I came to pledge myself to you, and offer to serve you in any way I can."

"What is your name?"

"Lancelot du Lac."

And Arthur knew, as Lancelot swore loyalty, making heartfelt promises, offering the precious gift of his very life to Arthur with a sincerity that almost brought Arthur to tears. Camelot had found its perfect Knight.


End file.
